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Longtime New Sarepta residents Erika and Alain Lefevre are asking for Leduc County residents' help to fight for justice for their son, Mathieu, who was killed in New York City on Oct. 18, 2011.

Through a letter writing campaign, county residents are encouraged to show their support by addressing traffic safety concerns in New York City. The letters will be addressed to the Brooklyn District Attorney (D.A.), who is reviewing their son's case. The Lefevres hope the letters show they are serious about their cause.

"We started the letter writing campaign for traffic justice. People from our community and from everywhere are sending letters to do what we have been asking for all along: a fair and unbiased investigation of the collision," explained Erika.

According to Erika, her son Mathieu was on his bicycle in New York City on Oct. 18, 2011 when he was hit by a truck from behind and killed.

After they received the news of their son's passing, the parents of four took the next flight to New York City and tried to find out more information about their son's death.

The Lefevres claim instead of being shown compassion during their time of grief, the Lefevres met a stonewall when it came to retrieving information from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) about the incident.

"It hasn't been a great journey," said Erika.

Left with no other alternative, the Leduc County parents were forced to hire a lawyer to retrieve information from the police through the Freedom of Information Act.

After months of trying to collect information - what the Lefevres say was misinformation presented to the New York media - Erika said they finally received the third and most recent police report on Jan. 20.

Through evidence seen in the video and in the police report, Erika claims the truck hit Mathieu off his bike, drove over his body and dragged his body for 30 feet, dragging his bike for a total of 171 feet.

The mother also learned, from information leaked to New York City media, police had found her son at fault because he did not stop at a red light.

"The report had many conflicting things, contradictions in it, mistakes, which were addressed at the council hearing on Feb. 15 in New York City," said Erika, who spoke at a joint hearing of the City Council's Public Safety and Transportation Committees.

According to a Feb. 15 New York Times article, "the hearing was intended to explore the Police Department's enforcement of laws that govern driving and biking and the department's response to accidents. Much of the testimony seemed to underscore a common theme expressed by council members: the police do not devote enough attention or resources to episodes in which a pedestrian or a bicyclist is killed, and as a result, criminal charges are rarely filed unless the driver was drunk or distracted by a cell phone."

In the same article, it was reported that the city saw 241 traffic-related deaths in 2011, a number which has decreased from 2001.

Driver will not be charged criminally

According to Erika, the driver of the truck, who was identified as Leonardo Degianni in a Jan. 23 The Village Voice article, has not been charged criminally for what she calls a hit and run, "not an accident."

He has subsequently been given two traffic court summons.

An official statement from the NYPD in relation to the decision to not charge the driver have yet to be officially explained, despite Leduc Rep staff's efforts to contact the NYPD.

The NYPD did not respond to the formal request before the time of press.

According to the New Sarepta mother, NYPD officials told her two days following the accident on Meserole Street and Morgan Avenue in Brooklyn, the driver would not be charged criminally because police claimed the driver didn't know he had struck and killed Lefevre.

"I don't call it an accident. From the evidence we have, it's a hit and run. It's not possible all of those events could have taken place without the driver knowing," she said, adding both the driver and her son were travelling in the same direction and they did not fail to stop at a red light.

The family's disappointment in the report was also shared by some councilmen at the recent hearing in NYC where they also pointed out flaws in the report. For example, Erika said in the report it stated the driver of the truck was going north on Morgan Avenue and was turning right onto Meserole Street, which as the councilmen pointed out, can't be done.

Meserole Street ends at Morgan Avenue. If a motorist were heading north on Morgan Avenue and turned right, they would end up on private commercial property.

"We have become to understand the attitude, nonchalance and lack of taking something seriously, not only for traffic accidents but fatalities and serious injuries by the NYPD. In New York, it seems if something has to do with traffic, it is not taken seriously. It's a huge hub, with people from all over the world visiting New York City, and to think you are not safe in the streets is a huge problem," said Lefevre.

As a result of the attention the case has been receiving in the New York City and international media, Mathieu Lefevre's case is being reviewed by the District Attorney of Brooklyn. The family have yet to receive a response, nor a timeline for the decision.

Remembering their son, the artist

Despite their grief, the Lefevres have maintained their belief in the importance of remembering their son and his legacy as an artist.

Tuesday, Mar. 13 would have been Mathieu's 31st birthday. His parents celebrated their son's birthday with family and friends.

Growing up in a bilingual household, Mathieu and his three siblings went to school in Beaumont. After turning 18, Mathieu decided to leave the acreage, his childhood home, and work on his career as an artist by studying art in Montreal.

It was there his mother said he really started to develop a career as an artist while still in school. With artwork in galleries around the world, she said her son made many connections and friendships with people in Europe, Canada and the United States. After graduating, the New Sarepta native moved to New York City to further his blossoming career.

He lived there for almost two years until his death.

It is believed that Mathieu Lefevre was on his way home from working in his studio on the night he was struck and killed. Preparing for two exhibits scheduled to open in both Toronto and Montreal, his mother said her sons artwork was popular because of its humour and its critique of high art.

"He liked to entertain and amuse people. People thought his art was very funny. He often criticized the art community, especially the idea of high art. He had very original ideas and was able to communicate them on a canvas," she explained.

In an effort to memorialize their son's legacy as an artist, the family formed the Mathieu Lefevre Memorial Fund at the Beaumont Credit Union. Donations to the fund will go towards helping emerging artists.

The local parents are encouraging people to help their cause further by writing a letter to the D.A., "to ensure he knows we are concerned about getting a fair and unbiased investigation done and that we have the support," said Mathieu's mother.

"We are appealing to people to support us so we get the truth in this situation. I think that is what our son would have wanted. To know what the truth is."

Anyone interested in writing a letter in support of the Lefevres' cause are asked to go to www.mathieulefevre.org.